Rhode Island man indicted after previous arrest in death of missing Charlotte Lester

A local man has been indicted after being charged in a missing person case that has garnered national attention.

According to the Rhode Island Attorney General’s Office, on Tuesday, the Statewide Grand Jury returned an indictment charging Mark Perkins with one count of first-degree murder.

According to Warwick Police, in November, Officers of the Warwick Police Department learned of new information regarding the two-and-a-half-year, ongoing investigation into the whereabouts of missing person, 45-year-old Charlotte Lester of Warwick.

Officers executed an arrest warrant based on this newly developed information and successfully took Perkins of Staples Avenue, Warwick, into custody without incident at Cumberland Farms on Post Road.

Perkins has been charged with First Degree Murder.

Lester’s body was located in Exter after a hunter located evidence, however, the exact location wasn’t released.

Lester and Perkins were previously companions, according to authorities.

At his arraignment in Kent County District Court, Perkins was held without bail. He did not enter a plea.

Lester was last seen alive on the evening of Monday, May 16, 2022, in the area of Arnold’s Neck Drive and Staples Avenue in Warwick.

On Wednesday, May 18, 2022, Charlotte’s beloved dog Chloe was found abandoned in the area of Elmwood Avenue.

Lester’s vehicle, a Red 2006 Toyota Tacoma, was discovered days later in the parking lot of Kent Hospital, 455 Toll Gate Road, Warwick, RI.

Perkins is scheduled to be arraigned on May 9, 2025, in Kent County Superior Court.